Gift
by Genki Collective
Summary: An exchange of gifts proves significant for Yui's and Azusa's friendship. AU; YuiAzu, implied Ui x Jun.


**A/N:**

_**STORY SUMMARY: **_An exchange of gifts proves significant for Yui's and Azusa's friendship. This story is set in the _Mono no Aware_ alternate universe near the end of Azusa's final year at Sakuragaoka, four years before Chapter 1 starts. AU, OOC, YuiAzu, implied Jun x Ui.

_**NOTE ON CANON:**_ The baseline canon for this story is the first 68 chapters (five+ volumes) of _the manga. __**The anime is not baseline canon for this story,**_ although I have chosen to use elements from the anime that don't conflict with the mangaverse. In cases where the manga and the anime conflict, I have gone with the manga. Please remember this before reviewing.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the K-On! franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation.

* * *

**Gift**

It was a typical winter day in Hachiōji. The clouds formed a roof overhead, giving everything a gloomy, gray cast. A cold, damp wind, blowing off the hills west of town, gave the air an uncomfortably raw feel.

As Azusa stepped off the bus in front of Katakura Station, she shivered, and pulled her heavy coat more tightly around her, walking briskly to warm herself. The dank chill in the air matched her mood closely. Even though it was New Year's Eve, and she was headed to a party at the Hirasawa residence, she found little reason to celebrate.

She would have thought she'd be happier to go to this gathering. She'd be spending the evening with Ui and Jun, after all, and usually the three of them had a lot of fun together. Unfortunately, Azusa didn't consider circumstances normal this evening, because the one person she wanted to share the holiday with the most would not be attending.

_Yui-senpai's not coming…and it's not going to be the same without her. God, I wish she could be there! My best friend, and I can't spend New Year's Eve with her. It's like Mio-senpai without Ritsu-senpai − unthinkable. Well, at least Ui and I can comfort each other. She gets how I feel…_

Azusa headed toward the walkway under the tracks at the west end of the station. With a grimace, she turned into the teeth of the wind, gasping for breath as the cold air chilled her lungs. It took her mind off the situation only for a couple minutes or so, until she entered the pedestrian tunnel that would take her under the tracks and to the bridge across the river south of the station. Once inside the tunnel and sheltered from the wind, she couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting back to Yui.

At this time last year, Azusa had still been very much of a divided mind about the daffy brunette. On the one hand, Yui's cheerfulness kept her going, especially on her worst days. Yui never seemed to be bothered by anything, and when Azusa was feeling down, five minutes spent with her carefree senpai seemed to make everything better.

On the other hand, the inappropriately intimate body contact in public, the maddening laziness and lack of focus, the casual attitude toward making music, the constant preoccupation with food, and that humiliating nickname Yui had tagged her with…they had all grated.

_That nickname…gaah! That _nyan_ business…that's cutesy stuff better left for a boyfriend. People always laughed behind my back when she'd hug me and call me…that. I never could get used to it…_

And yet, the reality of Yui's graduation hurt more than she'd expected. She still remembered crying on graduation day and begging Yui not to leave. And crying even more at the train station the day Yui and the other senpai left for Japan Women's University.

Not having Yui around on a daily basis made Azusa realize just how much she'd meant to her. She missed her air-headed senpai far more than she'd expected. And it turned out Yui missed her just as much. They stayed in touch, and as time went on they'd actually gotten closer, to the point where they were communicating daily.

In their private conversations, Yui was often as random and clueless as ever. Yet she radiated warmth, and Azusa found that beneath the ditzy surface she was actually a sensitive and perceptive girl who was anything but clueless, and was quite capable of having a deep conversation, provided the topic interested her. Azusa now knew the cluelessness was mostly an act, and that what lay below the surface was the real Yui.

Even though they'd known each other for nearly two years by the time Yui graduated, Azusa had to admit she'd been too caught up in the distraction of the brunette's admittedly eccentric personality to really get to know her on more than a superficial level. To her surprise, she found they actually had far more in common than she'd thought.

Despite being separated by distance, they bonded tightly, and it wasn't long before they were calling each other best friends. There was an intensity to the friendship that surprised them both. Since her normal tendency was to over-analyze things, Azusa initially spent a lot of time trying to figure how they'd grown so close, in some ways closer than Mio and Ritsu, but she kept coming up empty. It had just happened, and ultimately she stopped trying to understand it and simply embraced it.

As Azusa took the pedestrian walkway across the bridge, the wind blowing along the river channel hit her. The blast made her eyes water, and she shivered again.

_Ugh! It's too cold. I'd give anything to feel one of her hugs right now…they're always so warm…I'd even let her call me that name all she wanted to…_

Azusa felt a catch in her throat as the disappointment began to well up within her once more. With effort, she bit back on the rising emotion.

_No. I need to keep it together in front of Ui and Jun. I can't let them see me lose control – it'd just upset them._

Once across the river, she turned left at the four-way intersection, and, heading east, began the long walk up the hill toward the Hirasawas' development. Realizing she was now running late, she picked up the pace, thankful the biting wind was now at her back. She briefly wished for summer.

The thought sparked the memory of how Yui's part-time job had kept her in Kawasaki for summer break. Azusa had been deeply disappointed by that. Unlike past summers, she was looking forward to spending a lot of time with Yui. She managed to get to the university campus with Ui a couple times to visit, and the three of them had a great time, but it wasn't the same. It wasn't enough.

She had been surprised at her reaction to being apart from Yui during the summer. In retrospect, that's when the feelings of missing her friend had begun to grow more and more intense. By now, it was hard even to say good-bye at the end of a routine phone call.

She told herself the problem would go away after she graduated. She'd sit for the JWU entrance exam, and in April she'd be back with Yui on a daily basis.

But then, in late fall, Yamanaka-sensei had approached her with the school's offer of a recommendation to Ōsaka University. As a National Seven University, Ōsaka was one of the top schools in Japan. If she went there, her future would be assured. And the recommendation meant she was guaranteed admission without sitting for the notoriously difficult entrance exam. It was an honor that marked her as one of the top third-year students, if not _the_ top third-year, at Sakuragaoka.

But to go to Ōsaka meant that instead of taking a 70-minute local train ride to visit Yui, she would need to travel four hours by bullet train. The distance meant they'd never see each other at all, and that their friendship would inevitably cool over time. It was a possibility Azusa did not want to contemplate.

She'd struggled with the choice. Going to Ōsaka, which her parents lobbied strongly for, would guarantee her success, at the very real risk of losing the closeness she and Yui now shared. JWU would not give her the same opportunities in life, but she and Yui would be together, at least for the next three years.

It was a hard decision, but she'd finally made her choice. She'd wanted to tell Yui over the holidays, but Yui hadn't been able to come home. And she couldn't bring herself to tell Yui over the phone, because she felt some conversations simply had to take place in person. Now it looked like she was going to have to break the news over the phone anyway. That didn't seem right, but it couldn't be helped.

When Azusa got to the top of the hill, she made a right turn at the Catholic parish church and walked up the driveway to the pedestrian stairs at the end. The church still had its holiday decorations up. Azusa frowned as she looked at the display. Far from finding it cheerful, she saw it as yet another reminder of Yui's absence.

_I so wanted to see Yui-senpai on Christmas, especially to tell her what's going on with the recommendation. But she's working the whole break. Christmas sure didn't seem right without her. Tonight won't be the same without her, either…_

She wished she didn't feel so depressed, but it was hard to control her emotions when they ran so deeply. She tried to tell herself that although Yui might have been her best friend, she was just a friend, after all. And it wasn't as if she was Azusa's only friend. She was close to Ui and Jun, too. They had been the ones to share her daily life for much of the past year, she reminded herself, and they deserved better than to have her sit around and mope. Besides, weren't New Year's Eve _bonenkai_ parties supposed to be about forgetting the old year's troubles?

Azusa took a deep breath as she approached the gate at the front of the Hirasawa residence, and tried to smile as genuinely as she could. She didn't want to dampen the gathering for Ui and Jun by appearing gloomy. She resolved, for their sake, to try her best to be good company.

_Is it too much to ask to want to spend New Year's with your best friend? Oh, Yui-senpai…I wish you were going to be here tonight!_

* * *

"Azusa-chan!" Ui cried, clasping Azusa's hand in greeting. "Geez, your fingers are cold! Come on in and get something warm to drink. Jun-chan's already here."

"Sorry for the intrusion," Azusa replied, and handed Ui the bottle of sparkling cider she'd brought with her. "I brought a little something for you. It's really no big deal."

"Thanks very much," Ui smiled, taking the bottle from her. "We'll share it later."

"You look like you're holding up pretty well," Azusa noted with some surprise. "Yesterday, you were pretty low, lower than I was. Have you heard from her?"

"I'm doing great, Azusa-chan," Ui said cheerfully, seemingly ignoring Azusa's question. "Jun's finally back in town, and you're here, too. I'll be just fine. Here, I've got some slippers for you."

As Azusa put on the indoor shoes Ui offered, she studied her friend carefully. Ui was a lousy actress, Azusa knew, so her cheer had to be genuine. It was a stark contrast from the gloomy, weepy Ui of the day before, when the two of them had spent time together trying to console each other over the impending Yui-less holiday. Ui was used to her parents being away from home at this time of year, but Yui's absence had really hit her hard. And yet here she was, seemingly as cheery as ever. Azusa wondered what had happened to drive such a change in her normally even-tempered friend.

She decided to file the thought for later, and followed Ui into the house. It felt good to come from the cold outside into the relative warmth of the Hirasawas' living room. It was cozy and welcoming, and Azusa felt herself relax just a bit. As Ui continued on to the kitchen, Azusa paused to admire the holiday decorations that adorned the walls and tables.

_Ui always does such a good job with this kind of thing. I wonder why she bothered, since Yui-senpai and her parents aren't even in town, and she didn't seem in the mood this year. Maybe she did it to cheer herself her up or something…_

A sudden touch to her shoulder brought her back to reality. With a start, she turned to face a smiling Jun, who was holding a steaming mug of tea.

"Hey, Azusa!" Jun greeted with a cheerful smile, handing her the mug. "This is for you. Sorry to startle you. It's good to see you."

Azusa took a sip and sighed with satisfaction.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "Just the way I like it. It's good to see you, too, Jun. How was your trip?"

"Uneventful," Jun shrugged. "I got to spend time with my grandparents, though, and that's always good. Just have a seat. Ui's almost got some appetizers ready. I've gotta go help. We'll just be a minute or two."

Azusa chose to sit in an easy chair that allowed her a clear view into the Hirasawas' small kitchen. As she sipped her tea, she watched Ui and Jun at work. They wove an intricate ballet as they maneuvered around each other in the small space. To Azusa's eyes, it was almost as though each could sense what the other was thinking.

As she waited, she mulled over the complicated relationship between the two girls. They'd known each other since junior high, and considered themselves close friends. To Azusa and everyone else around them, however, what they shared was clearly far greater than mere friendship. There was an undercurrent of romance not normally present between friends; Azusa could see it plainly even as they worked together in the kitchen.

_These two crack me up. They say they're only friends, but they're so romantic with each other. They haven't confessed to each other, and there's nothing physical going on between them, but otherwise they act just like they're dating. They're totally in love…funny thing is, they won't admit it to each other._

And what of her friendship with Yui? They were certainly close friends, but they weren't anywhere near Ui-Jun territory…were they?

_Ah, Yui-senpai…we're really close, but I don't like her _that_ way, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me _that_ way either…does she? No, of course not. We're just friends…almost like sisters. I'm more like what Ui is to Yui-senpai than what she is to Jun…sisters? Um, no, that's not right…Oh, geez, I need to stop doing this. If I think too much about her, I'll just feel worse about her not being here…_

Jun's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Appetizers are ready!" she announced in a sing-song voice, smiling broadly as she carried the platter filled with food into the living room and placed it on the table. Azusa gazed at it, her mouth watering. Ui had really outdone herself this time. There were stacks of fried _gyōza_, and a wide variety of tempura, complete with dipping sauces for each. The smell coming from the steaming plate was heavenly.

"Hey, what about Ui?" Azusa asked. "Shouldn't she be getting some of this?"

"Oh, don't worry about her," Jun replied as she dug in. "I made sure she kept some for herself. She's eating them while she cooks the main courses."

With a shrug, Azusa grabbed a pair of chopsticks and helped herself to a _gyōza_. It was classic Ui: melt-in-the-mouth good, with the sauce adding just the right tang. She finished one, and turned to Jun.

"Hey, what's the deal with her, anyway?" she asked, inclining her head toward the kitchen.

"You mean Ui?" Jun frowned, looking curiously at Azusa. "What do you mean, 'what's the deal'? She seems fine to me."

"Yeah, but just yesterday she was a mess," Azusa countered. "We had lunch together, and she was as down as I was about Yui-senpai not being here tonight."

Jun nearly choked on the shrimp tempura she was eating.

"Yui-senpai!" she echoed, slapping her palm to her forehead. She turned toward the kitchen and called, "Hey, Ui, aren't you forgetting something?"

Ui came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked at Jun blankly.

"Weren't you supposed to tell Azusa something?" Jun prompted. "About Yui-senpai…"

"What…?" Azusa said, looking from Ui to Jun in confusion. "What 'something'? What about Yui-senpai?"

Ui gasped. Her eyes widened, and she clapped her hands to her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Oh, no!" she cried. "Jun-chan and I got so wrapped up in cooking we forgot all about it. Azusa-chan, your Christmas gift from Onē-chan arrived today. She said you're supposed to open it before we eat."

Azusa's mood brightened significantly when she heard this.

_Yui-senpai's present! And I was so busy feeling sorry for myself I forgot about it, too…_

"Wow, awesome!" she exclaimed. "I meant to ask you about that. She said I should expect it today. I'll open it right after dinner."

"Um, Ui just said _before_ dinner," Jun put in, glancing knowingly at Ui. "Were you not listening? Or were you too busy stuffing your face?"

"I heard her just fine," Azusa replied, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You guys are being weird about this all of a sudden. What's the rush? Can't it wait until after we eat? I barely got any of the appetizers."

"Onē-chan made it a point to say you should open it before dinner," Ui replied, her eyes twinkling. "Besides, it'll be a while before the food's ready, so you have plenty of time."

Azusa frowned. Something seemed fishy about their sudden insistence that she drop everything just to open a gift. Yui had been known to get creative with her gift-giving, and to enlist others to help her. Having been on the receiving end of some less-than-desirable presents given under humiliating circumstances, Azusa was immediately on her guard.

"This better not be another one of Yui-senpai's embarrassing surprises," she growled, glaring at Ui and Jun, who were doing their best to look innocent. "If it is, and I find you guys were in on it…well, I'd better not, that's all."

"You're wasting time, Azusa," Jun said impatiently. "Just get it over with, already."

"Yes, go ahead, Azusa-chan," Ui urged, now grinning. "You're not being rude. After all, it's just Jun-chan and me."

With a shrug, Azusa gave in. She wasn't in the mood to fight them. Besides, better to get it over with, as Jun said. And although something seemed odd about the whole thing, it was still a present from Yui, and her curiosity was beginning to trump her caution. Even so, it was hard to walk away from any food cooked by Ui.

"Fine, I'll go," she sighed, heading for the stairs with a last longing look at the rapidly dwindling pile of appetizers. "Just save me some _gyōza_, okay?"

* * *

Azusa stomped up the stairs, grumbling inwardly about the timing of it all. Why couldn't Ui have told her about this _before_ bringing out the food?

_I only got one of Ui's _gyōza_. Geez. Jun's probably gobbled up the last one by now. This present had better be worth it. Yui-senpai's not even here to see me open it, so what's the point? Opening it without her is just going to make things harder for me…_

She paused briefly in the upstairs hallway, trying to remember which room was Yui's. She'd only been in it once or twice, and the last time had been exactly one year ago, on the previous New Year's Eve. At a loss, she chose the room at the end of the hallway simply because the lights were on. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside. When she looked toward the bed, she froze, eyes wide in shock.

There was a young woman sprawled across the bedspread, face up, as though she'd fallen there after fainting. On her stomach was an open manga volume, face down; next to her was a pile of strawberry Pocky wrappers and a half-empty bag of potato chips. Very clearly sound asleep, she was snoring lightly, and a stream of drool ran from her mouth, down her cheek, and onto her sweater. The gold hair clips holding her auburn-colored bangs out of her eyes glistened in the light from the bedside lamp.

Azusa had never been happier to see anyone in her life. She began to tremble, and when she could finally bring herself to speak, what came out of her mouth was more like a cross between a sob and a yelp than spoken words.

"Yui-senpai!"

At the sound of her voice, the brunette stirred. She sat up, staring uncomprehendingly at Azusa through the bleary eyes of someone who'd just awakened from a deep sleep. In an instant, however, she regained her bearings, and her face lit up in a thousand-watt smile.

"Azunyan!" Yui cried. She barely made it to a standing position before Azusa leaped into her arms, causing them both to drop back onto the bed in a sitting position. They embraced each other tightly.

"Happy New Year, _koneko-chan_!" Yui cooed, rubbing her cheek against the side of Azusa's head. "Mmm. My Azunyan energy's been restored at last."

"Oh, Yui-senpai, you came home!" Azusa exclaimed, unable to hold back the tears any longer. She lay in Yui's arms, sobbing. Yui held her close, not saying anything. She simply stroked Azusa's hair and waited for her to regain her composure.

After a short while, Azusa pushed away and began wiping her eyes. Yui took a tissue from the box beside the bed, and wordlessly moved Azusa's hands aside to wipe the tears herself. Unlike so many times before, Azusa did not fight her.

"Dummy!" she finally croaked, although the word lacked any real malice. "Lying to me like that. Telling me you weren't coming. I've been almost sick! And you had Ui a total wreck, too. Honestly, Senpai, you can be so thoughtless sometimes."

"Hey, I didn't lie!" Yui protested, unable to suppress a smile in spite of trying to sound sincere. "I didn't know I was coming until late yesterday. I had the chance to change shifts with someone, so I worked this morning, caught the train, and here I am. And even better, I have the next three days off."

Azusa took a deep breath. When she exhaled, the tears were gone, and the maelstrom of emotions was finally under control.

"So this is why Ui was in such a good mood," she said, gazing at Yui as if she still didn't believe they were really in the same room together. "You were here all the time. I can't believe they didn't tell me right away."

"They were supposed to tell you to come up," Yui replied, smiling ruefully as she rubbed the back of her head. "And I was supposed to be waiting to surprise you. Some surprise, huh? You walk in, and here I am asleep. I didn't even get to see the look on your face."

"Ui said she got so preoccupied with making dinner she forgot to send me upstairs," Azusa sighed. "More like she was preoccupied with Jun. Anyway, I'm here now. And it was definitely a surprise…the best kind. I'm so glad to see you, you have no idea. Ui said my Christmas present from you came today. She didn't tell me _you_ were the present."

She wound her arms tightly around Yui's waist. The brunette responded with a warm embrace of her own, and as she did so, Azusa felt all the remaining tension and worry drain out of her, leaving behind only happiness and contentment. Just hugging Yui, and being hugged by her, had that effect on Azusa.

"Actually, I'm not the present," Yui replied apologetically. "That'd be too silly, even for me. There _is_ an actual present for you, though. I'm just playing Santa and delivering it in person. A very late Santa. Sorry about that."

Pulling away from Azusa, she reached down beside the bed into her purse and rummaged around inside. In a moment, she produced a small, gift-wrapped box, which she handed to her friend with a flourish.

"Merry Christmas, Azunyan!" she announced.

Azusa examined the box, turning it over in her hands as she speculated on what might be inside. It was long and narrow, and wrapped in glossy, heavyweight silver wrapping paper. A tiny red bow graced the top.

"Go on, open it!" Yui urged, bouncing up and down on the edge of the bed. She seemed even more excited by the present than Azusa was. Spurred on by Yui's eagerness, Azusa tore the paper off. It was a jewelry box, and when she opened it, she gasped.

Inside, on a fine gold chain, was a miniature gold figurine of a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. The label in the box read "14K gold plated." This was no cheap costume jewelry, but an expensive present indeed.

"Oh, Senpai, it's beautiful!" Azusa exclaimed as she drew the necklace out of the box and held it up to the light. She gazed at it in wonder as it glistened in her hand. "Thank you so much!"

"Can I…put it on you?" Yui asked, with uncharacteristic shyness. Azusa looked at her, surprised. When she saw Yui's hopeful smile, she nodded.

"Turn around and pull up your hair, then," Yui ordered, continuing to talk as she fastened the necklace in place. "I got necklaces for Ui, you, and the girls in the band. Each one has a pendant with a special meaning shared by me and the girl who got it. It's pretty obvious what yours means. You and Ui were the only ones who got gold. The girls in the band got silver. That's why I've been pulling all those extra shifts. It was the only way I could afford presents like this for all of you."

For Azusa, to be placed on the same level as Yui's beloved sister, and ahead of Mugi, Mio, and Ritsu, was as clear a statement as Yui could make about how highly she valued their friendship. For as long as she'd known Yui, no one had been able to approach Ui in Yui's affections.

And yet, Yui had specifically given her a present matching Ui's, a present far more expensive and requiring a much greater level of personal sacrifice than those she'd given her other friends. This was something Yui had never done before, even for Nodoka. Heretofore, Ui had always gotten Yui's best. And now, she was giving her best to Azusa as well. To a casual observer, it might seem inconsequential, but for Yui the action was significant.

Yui's choice of the charm seemed an appropriate symbol, given the nicknames she'd given Azusa. From the very first time she'd put on a pair of _nekomimi_, Yui had referred to her in feline terms. At first, she'd resisted the _koneko_ image Yui had pinned on her, but she had long since come to accept it as a defining symbol of their friendship.

As she fingered the pendant hanging around her neck, a brief vision flashed through her mind of Yui working nights and weekends, going without small comforts for herself so she could afford to buy her this special present. And it was just like Yui to act so off-handed about the whole thing, as though her gesture was nothing special. Azusa felt overwhelmed with gratitude, and tears began to fill her eyes again.

"Now, now, none of that," Yui scolded gently as she hugged Azusa once again. "This is supposed to be a happy time, okay?

"Okay," Azusa sniffled, calmed once more by Yui's embrace. After a moment, the older girl let go.

"Now let's go down and join the party," Yui told her, moving to get up from the bed. "I can smell Ui's cooking from up here, and I can't wait any longer. C'mon, wipe your eyes and let's go."

She attempted to stand, but Azusa grabbed her sleeve, holding her back.

"Not yet, Senpai," she said. "Now it's my turn. I still have a present to give you."

"But I already got yours," Yui replied, a puzzled look on her face. "And I already told you a bunch of times how much I loved it! See? I'm wearing it right now."

She held up her left arm to show the bracelet Azusa had sent her. The younger girl's eyes lit up at the sight.

"It looks good on you," Azusa told her, happy that Yui was wearing the bracelet, although it seemed like junk compared to what she'd just received. "Just like I imagined. But that's only one part of my gift. The rest isn't really a physical present. It's information. News, I guess you could call it. I wanted to tell you in person, so that's why I haven't said anything before now. I'd planned to tell you on Christmas, but…you couldn't come home."

"News?" Yui repeated with a confused frown, speaking her thoughts out loud as she tried to make sense of Azusa's statement. "What news? It's not bad news, is it? No, it couldn't be, or you wouldn't call it a 'present'. So it must be good news, right?"

Azusa shrugged as she looked into the brunette's perplexed eyes.

"Good or bad depends on your perspective," she replied. "It's about the recommendation to Ōsaka University. I've made my decision."

The confusion in Yui's eyes deepened. She had been among the most vocal of those encouraging Azusa to accept the offer, and it was obvious that she thought Azusa had already done so.

"Um…I don't get it," she said uncertainly. "I thought this was a done deal. I mean, didn't you sign the papers already? Or is there something I'm missing?"

Azusa shook her head.

"I never signed anything, Senpai," she said. "I've turned the recommendation down. I'm going to sit for the JWU entrance exam in January."

Yui sat in stunned silence, blinking several times as the significance of this statement sank in.

"But…but…Azunyan," she sputtered. "You can't just walk away from a recommendation to Ōsaka!"

"Why not?" Azusa countered. "Mio-senpai turned down a recommendation last year so she could go to JWU with you guys."

"But this is different," Yui insisted. "Ōsaka's a National Seven. It's a way better school than JWU. Better than where Mio-chan was going to go, too. You graduate from Ōsaka, you could get a job with a top company, or go to law school. Or medical school. Maybe even become a college professor like your dad. Your future would be all set!"

"What future?" Azusa retorted. She rose from the bed and began pacing back and forth in front of her bemused friend.

"A future as a housewife?" she continued, a trace of bitterness in her voice. "My parents expect me to get married after college, not go to grad school. Since that's the case, what good is a degree from a place like Ōsaka? So I can land myself a decent husband? I don't need to go to a National Seven University for that. Besides, if I go to Ōsaka, I'd just be by myself, and all my friends would be at JWU. I don't want to be alone. I want to be with my friends..."

As she spoke the last line, she stopped front of Yui, and their eyes locked.

"…especially my best friend," she finished.

Yui's eyes widened with sudden realization.

"You would…walk away from Ōsaka University…just to be with me?" she gasped.

"Well, you're the main reason," Azusa affirmed. "Of course, I want to be with the other senpai, too. And I want to stick with Ui and Jun, assuming Jun can pass the exam. That's a big 'if,' by the way. But I wouldn't turn down a recommendation for the others. I did it because I want to be at the same school as you, Senpai. Our friendship is that important to me. Us being separated this year…it's been hard. When you didn't come home for Christmas…that was the worst. I don't want this anymore. I want us to hang out every day, and play our guitars together like we used to."

Yui gaped at Azusa, as if unable to believe what she was saying. Azusa smiled inwardly. It was a rare accomplishment to leave Yui speechless. And it was the exact effect she'd hoped for. She sat down next to Yui and leaned her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"Why are you so surprised?" she asked. "Mio-senpai did what she did last year for the same reasons. Although she wouldn't admit it, but it was mostly because of Ritsu-senp-…oof!"

Before Azusa could finish speaking, Yui grabbed her in a rib-crushing embrace.

"Azunyan…" was all the brunette could manage before her words failed. Too moved to speak, she simply held onto Azusa as if for dear life.

"Yui-…senpai…can't…breathe…," Azusa choked, prompting Yui to relax her grip. She didn't let Azusa go, however, continuing to hold her in a close embrace.

"Sorry, Azunyan," Yui replied, babbling in her enthusiasm. "I'm just so excited. We're going to be together! Well, you still gotta pass the exam, but you're so smart you'll do that for sure…and we'll live in the same dorm, and see each other every day, and we'll hang out and do all sorts of fun things together…it's gonna be awesome! Wait'll I tell the girls. What a great present! I mean, the bracelet's really nice and all, but this news is the best gift I've ever gotten!"

"I'm glad," Azusa said with a satisfied smile as she snuggled in Yui's arms. "Merry Christmas, Yui-senpai."

* * *

Azusa shivered in frigid early-morning air, her eyes drooping with fatigue. It was even colder than the day before; a front had blown through the Kantō region, clearing out the cloud cover, but dropping the temperature. Azusa felt the cold in her very bones. In an attempt to keep warm, she wound herself around Yui's arm, standing as close to her as she could.

Staying up late and awakening early had left her dragging. And yet she would not have traded last night's celebration for anything. Yui being there had changed everything for the better. She smiled as she remembered the previous evening's events.

After she and Yui had gone back downstairs, they'd had an outstanding meal, during which Ui's handmade soba noodles were the featured attraction, along with numerous other tasty dishes. Yui ate Ui's cooking with her usual gusto, praising nearly every mouthful as Ui looked on like a proud mother and blushed at the compliments. It had been quite amusing for Azusa and Jun to tease the two of them as they watched it all unfold.

At some point during the evening, Yamanaka-sensei had appeared out of nowhere, as she so often seemed to do. She had originally declined Ui's invitation, but they had expected her to show anyway because her boyfriends had a way of standing her up on New Year's Eve. And, as always, that was exactly what had happened. She and Yui greeted each other like long-lost relatives, and the fun had begun in earnest. It wasn't as rowdy as it would have been had Ritsu also been there, but between Sensei and Yui things were still pretty lively.

The memories of the rest of the evening flashed through Azusa's mind: stopping Sensei from chasing Ui around the living room, trying to get her to wear a skimpy Santa outfit she'd managed to smuggle in despite their vigilance; watching _Kōhaku Uta Gassen_ on TV, and rooting for the girls of the Red Team; the hugs and high fives when the New Year hit, followed within moments by everyone's cell phones blowing up at once as calls started pouring in from friends and family; the first picture of the New Year she and Yui had taken, huddled cheek-to-cheek , which was now the wallpaper on her cell phone display; and watching a post-midnight movie that put everyone but Yui to sleep within minutes.

In the morning, Yui had insisted on capping off the celebration by observing _hatsuhinode_, the old Japanese tradition of watching the first sunrise of the New Year. At her instigation, it had become the customary way of ending After School Tea Time's New Year's celebrations, much to the annoyance of the others at first. However, in succeeding years they had all come to embrace it, including Azusa. This morning, however, Jun and Yamanaka-sensei were not at all inclined to participate, and Ui elected to remain behind with them.

And that was why an exhausted and near-hypothermic Azusa was standing alone with Yui on a hilltop in western Hachiōji in the dim light of pre-dawn. Even though her three band mates were absent, the older girl was still determined to carry on with the yearly ritual. Azusa, sensing her presence was important to Yui, couldn't refuse to accompany her friend.

However, Yui was not her usual bubbly self as dawn approached. In contrast to past years, when she'd been excited to see the sunrise, she seemed uncharacteristically subdued. Azusa found this vaguely unsettling, but didn't know what to say, so she remained silent, leaving Yui to her thoughts.

"Remember two years ago?" the brunette reminisced, smiling gently at the memory. "You fell asleep wearing those _toramimi_, and they were still on your head when we came out here to watch the sunrise."

"I wanted to crawl into a hole and die," Azusa said with a rueful chuckle. "I still can't believe you guys didn't say anything. You just let me wear them the whole time."

"We all thought you looked so cute," Yui giggled. "Just like a little tiger cub."

"What do you think they're all doing right now?" Azusa speculated, changing the subject to divert Yui's attention from the embarrassing memory. "It's not even New Year's yet in Finland, so Mugi-senpai and Sumire are probably still partying."

"I never thought of that," Yui admitted. "We'll have to figure out the time difference and call her in a little bit."

"Have you heard from Mio-senpai and Ritsu-senpai?" Azusa inquired. "I got texts from them both after I sent them that picture of us."

"They texted me, too," Yui replied. "They're with one family or the other, I don't remember which. We didn't plan a party this year. Mugi-chan would have come back from Finland early if we'd had one, but with me supposed to be working, there wasn't much point, so she didn't. You know, this will be the first time in four years I didn't spend New Year's with the three of them. It feels weird."

Azusa studied Yui's face in the light of the breaking dawn. The sight of the sadness and regret in her eyes was a surreal image for the younger girl, who had to rack her brain to remember the last time she'd seen Yui show those particular emotions. Instinctively, she hugged Yui's arm to herself.

"Well _I'm_ here," she offered, leaning her head on Yui's shoulder. "I'm not a part of the band anymore, but I used to be. That counts, right?"

"You'll always be a part of the band to me, _koneko-chan_," Yui said simply.

The two of them watched the sun rise in silence. The first sunrise was supposed to predict how the coming year would unfold for those viewing it. For Yui and Azusa, it was a cold, clear dawn, and the sun was majestic as it appeared over the eastern horizon, washing the urban landscape with the soft, orange light of early morning. It was as perfect a sunrise as Azusa could have hoped for, and the fact that she was watching it with Yui at her side made it even better.

"It's beautiful," she said, her voice hushed in the crisp morning air. "I guess this means we're going to have a really good year, right, Yui-senpai?"

"Definitely, Azunyan," Yui smiled. "Until last night, I was pretty well convinced the New Year was going to be one of my worst ever. But now, I'm not worried about it anymore."

Azusa found the comment unusual for Yui. In fact, her entire manner that morning had been out of character. Normally, she was relentlessly upbeat.

"That sounds kind of strange coming from you," she observed.

"I know, right?" Yui chuckled mirthlessly. "But it's not as strange as you might think. Everyone says, 'Nothing ever gets to Yui.' It may look that way on the surface, but deep inside I'm like everyone else. I worry about the things that really matter to me."

Azusa regarded her companion with curiosity. The carefree airhead was gone, briefly replaced by a new Yui – the sensitive, thoughtful Yui that lay under the surface, the one she had discovered after their friendship had deepened. This only happened rarely, and only when Yui was really moved by something. She wondered what was on the brunette's mind. Fortunately, Yui being Yui, Azusa didn't have long to wait before finding out.

"I was really proud when you got the recommendation to Ōsaka," Yui explained. "But us going to different colleges means different life experiences. We'd grow apart, guaranteed, like what's happened with Nodoka-chan and me. So when you told me you were going to take the test for JWU, I was really happy we'd be together at the same school. Remember what you said about this past year being hard for you? I know I didn't show it much, but it's been just as hard on me. As the year went on, it only got worse. It convinced me we belong side by side. That our friendship's fated, somehow."

"It _is_ fated," Azusa declared. "This year of us being apart convinced me of it, too. I just feel we need to be part of each other's daily lives. It somehow wouldn't be right otherwise. That's why I made the choice I did. I took a lot of heat from the faculty and my parents for turning down that recommendation. But that gift you gave me? For the first time, you put me on the same level as Ui. That tells me everything I need to know. So I have no regrets about my decision."

"My gift was nothing compared to yours," Yui said softly. "I was up most of the night thinking about what you must be going through over this. You know me. It sometimes takes a while for things to sink in. At first, I was just happy we'd be together again. Selfish, I know. But after I thought about it…about what a high price you're paying for choosing JWU over Ōsaka…I'm…so humbled…"

For the first time that morning, Yui appeared close to losing her composure. Her lower lip trembled, and Azusa thought she could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Yui's display of emotion resonated deeply within the younger girl, who struggled to contain her own feelings. She said nothing; it didn't seem appropriate to speak. She just clung tightly to Yui's arm and waited for her to continue. After several moments, Yui was able to regain control.

"Remember that song we wrote for you when we graduated?" she asked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "_Tenshi ni Fureta yo_. I'll bet you didn't know it, but I actually wrote the lyrics for that song myself. I got some suggestions from the girls, of course, but it was pretty much my words to Mugi-chan's melody."

"I always assumed Mio-senpai wrote the words," Azusa said, surprised. "You only write things you feel really strongly about. So far, that's food, Ui, and…"

…_me? My God…that song…that was Yui-senpai talking directly to me…she wasn't really speaking for the others, just herself…_

Yui began sing softly. Her voice, no longer choked with emotion, was steady and clear in the early morning air.

…_But hey, we got to meet a wonderful angel  
Graduation isn't the end  
We'll be forever friends…_

When she heard Yui's song, Azusa lost the battle for control. She began to tremble, and the tears began to flow in earnest. Yui, immediately sensing this, pulled her into a tight embrace, stroking her hair gently.

"It's okay," she soothed. "It's all right."

As it always did, the embrace worked magic, and Azusa's tears passed quickly. Unlike the previous evening, however, she did not pull away. Yui's embrace was too comforting. She felt better right where she was.

"Hey, now, I didn't mean to make you cry," the older girl continued, still stroking Azusa's head gently. "I was just reminding you what I said in those lyrics. I really meant them, Azunyan. I want us to be friends forever. I'll always be friends with Nodoka, but it's not the same, and how close we were is mostly a memory for me now. I don't want our friendship to wind up the same way. When I wrote those lines, I thought it was wishful thinking. But by choosing JWU over Ōsaka, you showed me you take our friendship as seriously as I do. So those aren't empty words for either of us anymore."

Yui released Azusa, and pulled some tissues from her pocket. She offered them to Azusa, who accepted them and wiped her eyes.

"So since we understand each other, then…friends forever?" the brunette asked, extending her pinkie.

Azusa looked at the extended finger, then locked eyes with the older girl. Without hesitation, she hooked her own finger around Yui's.

"Friends forever," she echoed.

They stood facing each other in the morning light, pinkies intertwined. It was a significant moment for the two young women. They had come to a mutual understanding that their friendship was beyond superficial and ordinary, and that it was something altogether precious that they were both committed to keeping alive. That understanding was no longer unspoken; it was now out in the open, and they had both embraced it.

Despite the serious atmosphere, Yui's face still wore that trademark goofy grin. At the sight of it, Azusa was filled with affection for the brunette. It was so totally Yui to appear not to be taking things seriously, even when she very clearly was.

"What's the deal?" Azusa pretended to complain. "We're supposed to be having a 'moment' here, and you've got that silly smile on your face."

"I'm with my best friend, and I'm happy," Yui shrugged. "It's not that mysterious. Hey, c'mon, let's get back to the others. I'm getting hungry. And we still need to call Mugi-chan. Not only that, we still need to visit the shrine, and that means I have to dig out my _kimono_…and it'll take me _forever_ to get into that thing…"

She grabbed Azusa by the hand and began leading her down the hill, talking non-stop all the while. As they walked, the younger girl smiled to herself. Whatever the New Year might bring, she and Yui would face it together. And that meant it was going to be a very good year indeed.

* * *

**A/N:**

− This story was beta-read by Genki's faithful collaborator, Musician74. This was supposed to be a simple YuiAzu friendship fic, but it wound up affecting us both deeply in ways we never imagined. As I was struggling to write this story, not only did she give me her valuable editorial input, but her comfort and encouragement as well. Thank you, Beta-chan, for everything.

− This story is set in the _Mono no Aware_ alternate universe. In AU time, the narrative begins on 12/31/2010, approximately two months before Azusa's graduation from Sakuragaoka, and a little more than four years prior to the events that take place in Chapter 1 of _Mono no Aware_. The events in this story mark the true beginning of Yui's and Azusa's journey toward a romantic relationship. They will not actually begin dating, however, until more than a year later (on Valentine's Day, 2012). You can find _Mono no Aware_ at .net/s/7553638/1/KOn_Mono_no_Aware .

− Japanese have an interesting set of traditions when it comes to the celebration of the New Year. Among these are the _bonenkai_ ("forget-the-year" party), _hatsuhinode _(first sunrise), and the _hatsumōde_ (first shrine visit), although there are others. One of the more interesting practices is to watch _Kōhaku Uta Gassen_ ("Red and White Song Battle") on TV. It's a singing competition between the Red Team (women) and the White Team (men), all of whom are carefully-chosen professional musicians. Competitors are judged by a panel, and the team with the highest cumulative score wins. It's not as popular as it used to be, but it's still the top-rated music show in Japan. The biggest names in j-pop and j-rock compete on this show, and that keeps ratings high.

− When Azusa hands the bottle of sparkling cider to Ui, she makes a comment minimizing the gesture. This is actually a set exchange dictated by Japanese etiquette. When visiting someone's house, you're expected to bring a gift, and make a comment minimizing its importance. The implication is that the guest's gesture is a poor exchange for hospitality. Azusa, being quite proper and polite, is saying exactly what she's expected to say.

− It's common for those not old enough to drink alcohol to drink sparkling cider (_saidā) _instead at a family _bonenkai_. However, the beverage is not the same in Japan as it is in the West. What the Japanese refer to as _saidā_ is actually a lemon-lime-flavored soft drink. So Azusa basically hands Ui a two-liter bottle of soda pop, and isn't really exaggerating all that much when she says it's "no big deal."

− _Gyōza _are the Japanese version of "pot stickers." Genki really digs these, and so does Azusa, it seems. Especially the way Ui makes 'em.

− In the manga, little is said about _Tenshi ni Fureta yo_, the song the HTT senpai write and perform as their farewell gift to Azusa on their graduation day. It isn't named, and only takes up a few panels toward the end of Chapter 52. In the anime, there are no details given about how the song is written, although it is performed in full. In the spoilers for the movie that are circulating the internet, however, _Tenshi ni Fureta yo_ is treated in far more detail, and it is either explicitly stated or strongly implied (depending on whose spoilers you read) that Yui wrote the lyrics to Mugi's melody, with Mio and Ritsu contributing to both the composition and the performance arrangement. So Yui as the lyricist may very well be canon. (And this, friends, is Genki's cheap way of working the new K-On! movie into her fanfic.)

* * *

Thanks for reading this story! Please help me become a better writer by posting a signed, _constructive_ review. (Anonymous reviews are disabled.)


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